So today was gonna be snubbie day, but I switched it at the last minute to current/primary personal/home defense gun the Ruger SP101 .357 vs. past hopeful Springfield XD 5" Tactical .40 cal.

I warmed up as usual with my most accurate handgun the Single-six. Once I shot 2 perfect rounds, consisting of 2 shots each on 3 targets of different shapes, but similar size (8x8) spread out along the berm at a distance of 25 yards, off-hand, I then proceeded to break out the greater weapons.

First I shot 100 rounds through the XD. I (or it) started out strong (80-90% hits @ 15 yards, but then started getting results consisting of 8/10 down to 6/10 at my worst.

I relaxed for a bit then broke out the SP101 .357. I dry fired the gun 15-20 times to get me back in the feel of its DA pull and then began shooting .38 special loads. I shot at multiple targets from about 15 yards and after the 3rd or 4th cylinder, began getting consistent hits. After 50 rounds I switched to 125 grain PMC .357. By the end of that box I was hitting the steel 5/5 times at 15 and even 4/5 out to 20 yards. This is with a 3-1/16" barrel.

So what ya'll think? Stick to the wheel guns or keep the XD and keep trying to shoot it perfectly. I'd hate to keep a gun that I can't shoot up to standard. I can shoot a revolver with 1/2 the barrel length as (or more) effective than a pistol with more capacity.

After my session I spoke w/ a fellow (near master) hand-gunner and was offered a help session next time out w/ the XD. He told me not to give up on it, but if the wheelie's are working for me why not nurture it more?

Not everyone can shoot everything perfectly. Practice all that you can. And know your limitations. I have a Sigma in 40. While I love the gun, I can not shoot it like my revolvers. Lets face it, most self defense shootings happen at an arms length. When you say you hit 6/10 I am guessing you were shooting at small targets. If you were missing full sized silhouetes at that range perhaps a revolver is the way to go.

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Romans 1:16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

I shoot most handguns fairly well and pretty accurately. However, I shoot my 1911 the best of all.

This is not a 1911 fanboy post, I'm just saying that out of several handguns, there is one that I naturally shoot better than the rest.

It sounds to me like the Ruger is your more natural shooter.

__________________“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.” ― Samuel Adams

I shoot most handguns fairly well and pretty accurately. However, I shoot my 1911 the best of all.

This is not a 1911 fanboy post, I'm just saying that out of several handguns, there is one that I naturally shoot better than the rest.

It sounds to me like the Ruger is your more natural shooter.

That's what I'm thinking. . . When I'm hot, those revolvers feel like the belong in my hand, the pistols (while really fun to shoot) has always required more effort. I also shoot 1911's very well. Every time my Dad comes up for a visit he treats me to a marathon shooting of his custom 1911's. While I love to shoot them, I'm a lefty so I would never purchase one unless every feature was fully accessible to with out extra effort.

__________________“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.” ― Samuel Adams

I'm just wondering if you spent too much time at the range. (Strange thought, that, isn't it?)

2 perfect rounds of 2 hits each on 3 targets out at 25 yards with the Single Six.
100 rounds through the XD.
50 rounds of .38spec, then 50 more of .357 (even with a short break between the XD and the SP101)

Or maybe it was that you did not have a specific objective for the range trip, except to shoot?

I'm just asking, because when I go to the range I have a complete training session lined up. Single action 20+ yards head shots with the snubbie, or draw from concealment 3-to-the-chest/2-to-the-head on 3x5 index cards at 3 yards, or my buddy running the reel-in line while I shoot a charging target to the ground, or working off the X to cover, or something else. But I have one drill, broken down into the constituent steps, that I work on. I try to have someone observe/critique me so if there is a specific step I need to improve I can find out.

Of course there are also the range trips when I haul out just about everything from the safe and throw lead downrange. I'm sure the toys appreciate it, and I do have a blast.